The Jets don’t have many building blocks for the future on their roster at the moment, so they’d like to see the ones they do have avoid any serious injuries.
It’s good news, then, that coach Rex Ryan said Friday, via Kimberley Martin of Newsday, that defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson doesn’t need surgery to repair the toe injury that’s kept him out of practice this week. Ryan said he hopes that Wilkerson can return this season, although they’re likely to be without him on Monday night against the Dolphins. That’s hardly ideal but is a lot better than having your best defensive player facing an extended rehab because of surgery.
Whether Wilkerson plays again this year or not, the Jets have some decisions to make about a contract extension for the 2011 first-rounder this offseason. They exercised their fifth-year option on Wilkerson’s contract so there’s no immediate fear of losing him as a free agent, but they held onto a lot of cap space this year and keeping cash on hand to fund an extension for Wilkerson is one of the best reasons for that approach.
Sheldon Richardson and Quinton Coples are expected to be at defensive end in Wilkerson’s place as the Jets attempt to play spoiler to the Dolphins’ playoff hopes for the second straight season.